Hidden Colors
by Shura Pirate
Summary: AU: Sora was only trying to help out the man with the pale hair in an act of kindness when he ran into trouble with the town guards. However, that incident was only the beginning of their acquaintance as Sora comes to realize that there is more to him than she had originally thought. Story based on the Color Wheel Challenge.
1. Purple

The Color Wheel Challenge

Taken from the forum "KS Think Tank!," I'm making chapters based on the color wheel: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and magenta/pink. To mix it up, I'm rolling a die and I put a number for each color so it's random.

Yes, there are seven colors and six sides of a die. :P I rolled six, so that's purple. When I roll six again, it'll be pink.

Note for this story:

It is not modern day. You'll see as you read.

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The annual summer festival was underway.

Sora had braided her hair for the occasion, putting some wild flowers. Her village was small, but fairly close to the town where the festival is held. Her aunt and uncle lived in the town and so she did not have to worry about paying for a room in an inn as she partook of the festivities.

Because of the sun, she decided not to wear her nice multi-layered gown that she recently received and chose something breezier. Her short boots crunched on the dirt as she neared the town. The wooden gates were drawn up, allowing admittance. A few guards with purple sashes looked over the people coming in.

She frowned a little, never having been completely comfortable with them.

In the past she had been stopped by them, having been mistaken for a gypsy. She supposed that her features were not normal to this area and so they had deemed her as a threat, however, they had been relentless in their questioning. She had been ready to tell them off when her uncle finally found her and came inside the town walls with her.

_And they wonder why I do not wish to live in the town._

She loved her family but she was fine in the village. She was close to twenty winters; she was more than able to provide for herself with her skills. The barter system in the rural area worked better for her than the coin system within the towns and cities.

An energetic little girl ran in front of her. Sora blinked at the very pale tresses, but smiled as the girl took a firm hold of a man's hand. Judging by the similar pale hair of the man, she took them to be father and daughter.

Her smile waned when a guard halted the pair.

_Oh no..._

SL

He made sure she was behind him as another guard came to join the one that stopped them.

"What is your business here, foreigner?"

The tone of the guard made the little girl grip the cloth of his trouser. He did not appreciate the treatment thus far from the guard, but attempted to keep his irritation in check.

"My business is my own."

The first guard's eyes narrowed. "We don't allow beggars in the town. Now be off!"

The statement further stirred his ire. _Beggars?_ They were well groomed and clean; he was rather insulted. But before he could say something to that, a voice called out from behind him.

"They're with me!"

The guards turned their attention to the approaching redhead.

SL

Sora straightened her spine as she stood next to the man and his daughter.

"They're here with me," she said, "so you do not need to keep them."

The second guard snorted. Sora recognized him and she withheld the urge to glare at him. He had been the guard to stop her when she first visited her aunt and uncle in their new home.

"Well then, if you say so..." started the second guard in a condescending voice. "Then that is more of a reason for us to turn them away. We can't have even more gypsies entering the town."

Her hand clenched. "You were informed of who I am," she clipped, "Or is your memory so poor that I need to remind you every few months?"

The guard made to step forward when the first guard's arm raised, preventing him from doing so.

"Go on," he blandly said with a dismissive wave as if he were tired of the subject already. "If they cause trouble again, your vouching cannot stop us from throwing them out."

She heard the man with the pale hair take in a breath. She highly doubted they had started the trouble, but the guards were quick to blame others. _He's probably upset with the treatment. _She could understand that.

So with a nod of her head, she smiled at the father and daughter and motioned them to follow her. The man's eyes narrowed for a moment and then he came, taking hold of the little girl's hand in his right hand. Sora was starting to relax when the second soldier stepped close to the man, causing him to bump into him.

"Watch your step," the guard sneered, "the streets don't take kindly to quarrelsome strangers."

With that, the guards left them to return to their original posts.

SL

When they were out of earshot, Sora spoke.

"It's mainly the guards that are like that," she reassured, "most folks don't mind visitors, especially around festivals."

The man took that in and gave a small nod. "Thank you for the aid." He took a look at the girl to make sure she was fine and then looked back at Sora. "Could you point us in the direction of an inn?"

"It's past the cobblers on the right," she pointed over past the bracelet vendors. "There should be a sign with a bird's nest."

He nodded and then turned towards it.

His cloak swirled and she blinked, having thought she saw the color purple from under the cloak. _Only royalty and those working under the Crown are allowed to wear purple. _Was he a worker for the Crown?

The little girl waved at her. Sora was just waving back when an exclamation over by the gates had her looking over.

"Someone stole my sash!" cried the guard that had bumped into the man with pale hair.

Her eyes widened as she realized what happened. She stifled a giggle behind her hand.

_I suppose he doesn't work for the Crown then._

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AN: This will ideally be seven chapters long, so it's a short story.


	2. Pink

AN: Pink's the theme! Can you guess how it'll be used? :P

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It was three days after they had first met.

Sora was looking at the selection of fruits when she bumped into him. "Pardon me!" she looked up and recognized the pale hair in a short ponytail. "Oh, hello again! Did you find the inn without any trouble?"

Grey eyes slanted over to her. For some reason, the action made a thrill shoot down her spine.

"I did," he quietly said. "My thanks again."

The timbre of his voice made her duck her head a little. "It was no trouble."

He arched a brow. The directions to the inn were no trouble, but he wouldn't say so for standing up to the guards. Her head was tilted back down as she inspected some crab apples. He withheld a smirk upon seeing the lingering pink on her cheeks.

Then, though, the feeling faded away as he continued to look at her.

From what he could tell, she had trouble with the guards before, yet she still came to help. He had not run across a woman as brave as she before and he found the trait to be attractive.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow?" he asked before he could second guess himself.

After the words were said, he inwardly cursed himself for the forward question. He had not even given her his name or had learn of hers and he was already inquiring after some time to spend together. However, he had not heard her reject the question nor did she walk away from him.

He was rewarded with the sight of her cheeks tinting to a rosy color.

"I am Leon."

"Sora," came her soft reply.

SL

The next afternoon, she waited outside the inn as Leon went to fetch his daughter.

She was still a little flustered with his greeting when he first came down by himself. He had come down in his under-tunic to quickly let her know that they needed a few moments more. She had averted her eyes and stuttered that she didn't mind waiting.

_How embarrassing! _

She was more than old enough to have a family, much less interactions with the opposite gender. There were girls more than three years younger than her that were married and with their second child. The women of the village often teased her about her unmarried status, some calling her a spinster already.

The spinster comment was unwarranted, but she figured that no matter what she said, people will tease as they will. She puffed at her bangs. _It's not like I'm not eligible._

She had been courted twice before but they had both decided to part ways after a while, seeing that they were not suited to one another.

She was simply not willing to settle for the first person to ask her was all.

The door to the inn opened. "I apologize for the wait" he said.

She startled a little, having been lost in thought. "Oh, it was not long; do not worry over it." The little girl came forward and Sora crouched to her eye level. "I'm Sora, by the way."

Her big blue eyes blinked and then she did a little curtsy. "I'm Sophie. Pleasure to meet you."

Sora smiled at the formality. _So cute!_

SL

They walked past the booths together, Sophie and Leon hand in hand on one side and Sora next to Leon's other side.

"So did you come for the festival, Leon?"

He turned his head towards her, making the silver hooped earrings on his ear glint in the sun. The earrings gave him a roguish look, but his manner and speech spoke of a calmer personality. She liked the mix, as well as his pale hair that looked similar to water when the sun hit it.

"We are visiting," he murmured.

She was glad for his interruption in her thoughts. What with how little she knew of him, she wasn't certain if he was married or still mourning the loss of his wife. If the former, she shouldn't be thinking of him in such a way as she was. _For all I know, he could be on a trip to reunite with his wife. _That would not be proper of her.

She settled on seeing him as a friend.

"Well, you chose the right time to travel," she said with a small smile, "the summer festival draws many vendors and performers alike."

Leon nodded at that. "I take it that you live here?"

"I have family here, but I live nearby."

He was beginning to nod again when his eyes widened for a moment as he realized something that he had failed to consider before asking her to accompany him. His eyes returned to normal. She did not notice, but he put a little more space between them.

"So what does Sophie like?" she asked Leon after looking around the place for a bit. "I can guide us there seeing as the setup's the same every year."

"Puppetry!" chimed in the little girl, having caught her name being mentioned.

Sora laughed; he found that he liked the sound.

_That does not bode well for me, _he berated himself, _if she is taken already._

SL

Sophie sat between them on the bale of hay as she avidly watched the puppet show.

Sora laughed behind her hand at the antics of the ogre and the troll. A fairy swooped down across the scene, showering the puppets with "fairy dust." Sophie "ohed" at the sight and then squealed when the troupe members standing by threw up their baskets of flowers.

The little girl stood up and ran closer in order to try to grab some of the flowers.

She did not go too far, which Leon was grateful for or else he would have to go and retrieve her. He turned to look at Sora when one of the troupe members came up near them and showered the adults with another basket of flowers.

Sora laughed in delight. "I suppose they saw that we need some magic too."

"I suppose so," he wiry said as he shook the flowers off.

She faced him and her laughter renewed upon seeing the little pink flowers that were stuck in his hair. "You missed some," she tittered, scooting over to get them.

Finding it easier to simply untie his ponytail, she warned him beforehand, assuring him that she would put it back once the flowers were out.

"See that you do," he murmured teasingly, "or else there will be consequences."

Her fingers lightly shook his shoulder length hair. "And what would that be?"

He shivered a little as she grazed the top of his ear. She stilled for a moment, realizing that she might be stepping the bounds by running her fingers through his hair. She had done it to smooth the hair over as she tied it back, but she blushed as she noticed how close she was to him and how the gesture could be conveyed as intimate rather than platonic.

Her lips parted to apologize for her forwardness when his hand came up and brushed along her shoulder. She felt his fingers lightly touch her skin a few times and then he brought his hand back down. She had seen the petals falling off to the side, rationalizing that he had only meant to rid her of the flowers.

But his eyes stayed on her, making her wonder if that was the only thing he had been doing.

"Your punishment," he lowly said, the sound making goosebumps form on her skin in a delightful manner, "will be swiftly enacted," his hand drifted to her waist and rested on her hip, "but not necessarily painful."

"Then how is that a punishment?"

The corner of his mouth quirked up. His face wasn't incredibly close to hers, but it was threatening to break the borderline between forward and proper.

"They leave a person to the mercy of the other," his thumb idly rubbed her side.

His tone and wording seemed out of place with the topic; she wasn't sure if he was still referring to the same topic they were discussing.

Her eyes widened a little, recalling some of the poems that she had come across without knowing the content inside. Her cheeks flushed in memory of them, the language describing intimacy and love, hidden passion and a surrendering of one to the other. With his hand still on her hip, she faintly wondered what it would be like to be at his mercy...

Sophie's squeal of laughter broke through her thoughts.

How she wished she hadn't thought of those poems at the moment.

She cleared her throat and slid away from him, having finished tying his hair earlier, but hadn't wanted to move away yet. His hand fell away from her as her movement made him recall himself.

"I hope you are satisfied with my work," she gestured a hand to his hair.

He wasn't concerned about it, but still lifted a hand up to feel for any leftover flowers. "The work is more than satisfactory."

She gave a little nod and then proceeded to get the flowers out of her hair. His hand came up to hers instinctively to stop her. Her brown eyes darted to his, waiting to see what was wrong.

"Keep them," he rumbled out.

Shyly, her eyes looked at her lap. _I don't think I'll stop blushing at this rate._

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AN: Sorry if the emotions feel kind of sudden, but seeing as the chapters are short and only seven, I'm trying to make sure they are conveyed.


	3. Orange

Orange you going to read? Haha! :P

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Two days later, they met again.

Little Sophie had her hair in two braids. Sora complemented the little girl as she took in the little orange bows at the ends of the braids. The image of Leon braiding and tying little bows made her warm but she beat down the feeling. She was determined to keep both of their friendships; her feelings would not prevent her from doing that.

"The color looks very pretty on you, Sophie," she gushed.

The little girl looked bashful, but pleased with the complement. Her little grin was endearing as well as her formal "thank you."

Sora straightened up and they started to walk.

"She has good manners."

Leon looked down at the top of Sophie's head. "Her mother taught her well."

The mentioning of his wife made something clench inside, but she continued to walk. _Let it be a reminder to me_. She put on a smile and addressed him.

"Yes, she did."

SL

It was near the end of the day, the sunset different hues of orange with some indigo as night crept in.

Sophie was in Leon's arms, the events of the day having tired her out.

Sora smiled at the sight they made. It grew as she caught the light snoring of Sophie. Leon adjusted his hold as her little hands slacked their grip on his tunic. _He's a good father._

She walked with them as they headed over to the inn.

"At the end of the week," she started softly, making sure that her speech didn't awaken Sophie, "they have a feast with a huge pig on a spit as performers go about with their tricks. It's fascinating, but it is at night."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "If Sophie rests earlier, we should be able to come."

Her smile looked special to him, especially with the orange hues of the dying sun making her eyes light up with her excitement. As they spent more time together and her lack of mentioning a male name, he was tentatively hopeful that it meant she was not connected with someone else.

He did not wish to endanger what they had in order to fulfill his curiosity.

They continued to quietly talk until they reached the alleyway to his inn. Sophie stirred a little when he stopped but she did not awaken.

"Sophie wanted to see the dancers tomorrow," he said. "Are you interested in joining us?"

She smiled; he basked in it.

"Until then," she whispered, gently brushing a braid from Sophie's face and giving him a nod.

"Until then," he repeated, watching her walk away.

SL

Her aunt took in the absentminded way her niece ate her soup.

For the past week, she's been in a bit of a stupor after her trips to the festival. She turned to her husband to see if he had noticed Sora's state. By the goofy little smile on his face, she took it that he had.

_To be young, _she mused as she fed Yume some broth.

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AN: Thanks for the reviews! I wasn't completely sure how this was going to turn out with the color themes, but it's fun writing so far!


	4. Blue

AN: Thank you to those who are reading and/or reviewing! :D This is my first time doing chapters based on colors.

SL

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The fire with the pig on the spit was bright.

The honey glazed meat filled the air with a smokey sweet smell, making Sora's stomach growl. Having been clapping her hands to the beat of the drum, she paused for a moment in her embarrassment. _Hopefully no one heard_ _that_. She stole a glance at Leon who kept his hands still, but watched the performance with interest. Sophie's eyes were wide with childish excitement; she could barely contain herself as she enthusiastically clapped her small hands along with everyone else.

In noting these things, Sora forgot why she had stopped participating.

Shrugging it off, she felt out the rhythm and then joined in.

After a few more seconds, Leon's eyes slid over to her, taking in the way she enjoyed the intricate dances as much as the playful puppet show they saw several days ago. _More like two weeks ago._ He tilted his head thoughtfully. It felt like he had been meeting with her for longer than that.

The jingling of some bangles made him look forward.

While he was distracted, a dancer stopped in front of him and was offering her hands to him, pulling people from the crowd to come and dance with them. Sora giggled as Sophie tried to coax him to go.

"I'll come too," Sophie volunteered decisively.

Before he could tell her no, she stood up, grabbed his hand and then grabbed the dancer's. Seeing Leon's tall form being dragged out of his seat by a little girl was too much for Sora as she laughed and laughed.

"Enjoy yourselves!" Sora tittered, wiping the corners of her eyes from laughing so much.

Not even a whole second after saying that did she squeak as Leon's free hand gently, but firmly wrap around her wrist. She was suddenly pulled up and off of her seat

"If I go," he murmured, the firelight showing the humor in his eyes, "you go."

SL

Sometime during the dancing, the children huddled together in the center.

Leon kept his eyes on Sophie as he distractedly danced with Sora and the performer with them. He watched as her little dress swirled around her as she twirled as fast as she could. He shook his head as the other little girls mimicked her as well as a few boys.

"She's starting a new dance," he heard Sora's comment with underlining mirth.

"She tends to do that," he wiry replied before turning back to her. He gave a slow blink upon seeing that it was only Sora in front of him now. "Did you scare our host?"

She flicked her hair towards him as she did a half turn to the rhythm of the drums.

"Perhaps your negligence offended her," she chided with a smile playing on her lips.

He softly scoffed, but his eyes remained focused on her swaying form. "You're quite good," he complemented. "Perhaps you intimidated her."

Her cheeks were rosy. She decided to address the complement a little differently than what she had initially taken it as. "I should hope so. I would make a poor instructor if I were terrible at it."

He twirled her around. "You're a dancer?"

"Part of the time."

His eyes appreciatively watched her hair and skirts flutter around herself. When she stopped spinning, he brought his hand along her hip. He took in the pale gold pendent around her neck and the small disk earrings that were hidden in her hair. He smiled to himself upon his observation. _I have seen this fashion amongst traveling groups._

With how close they were, she could see that his grey eyes were actually an intriguing mixture of the palest blue and grey. She swallowed as his hand on her hip stayed as he led her around the ground. Her eyes widened a little as he leaned forward, their foreheads almost touching.

"Does this mean," he rumbled with a quirk of his lips, "that you are a gypsy?"

In a moment of foolish inspiration, her hand went over his shoulder.

"Not necessarily," she murmured. She then bent her upper body backwards, her hand along his shoulder anchoring her as she extended her other arm out into the air. She smoothly brought herself back to him, though now they were touching in multiple places. "But I have traveled with gypsies before," she finished with a quirk of lips.

Her words fanned his face. His eyes lidded, liking her dancing and confidence.

"You're full of surprises," he murmured.

She let out a shaky breath as his hands traveled from her hips up her sides. His face was incredibly close, she could see the rings of pale blue in his eyes.

She liked them.

And as her lips touched his, she admitted to herself that there were a lot of things about him that she more than liked. If he had been surprised by her boldness, he did not show it. She felt him lightly brush back as her hand came up and touched the side of his face.

Their lips teased with feathery light touches, the action shooting shivers along their body. They had finally set their lips fully on each other's when a high shriek filled the night air.

Leon felt his blood run cold upon hearing it.

He pulled away from Sora. She seemed to have recognized the voice as her eyes darted over the place.

"Leon!" Sora called, pointing out Sophie on the ground.

He ran over before any other words were given. The crowd of children parted for him and he saw Sophie's fearful face. He kneeled down and looked over her form. Her dress was dusty and her knees scraped; tears ran down her face. He frowned, not knowing if her fall was the only thing that had made her cry.

He picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"They're here," she whimpered in his ear, "I saw the _wolves_."

He stiffened, but then relaxed, trying not to give his apprehension away. He was glad she remembered what he told her about them and her understanding of not saying it out loud for all to hear.

Sora came over with her handkerchief. "It's ok, Sophie," she softly said as she wiped the girl's face.

He was grateful for her comfort. "Let's go."

They walked away from the festivities. Leon murmured things to Sophie that Sora could not hear, but she didn't pry. She busied herself with dusting off Sophie's dress.

Her hand paused as she caught Sophie whimpering in another language, but then continued with the dusting.

SL

They were close to the alley where the inn was when Leon stopped.

Sora blinked as Leon adjusted Sophie to one arm in order to wrap another around her waist. She flushed a little as he embraced her. If things weren't dire, he would have enjoyed seeing her blush.

"Could you do something for me?" he murmured into her ear.

"Of course," came her ready response.

He could kiss her for that, especially since he had felt her lips earlier; but he withheld the urge. "Can you stay with Sophie at the inn for a while? There's something I need to take care of."

Her face turned towards him, wanting to ask what it was, but the steel blue glint of his eyes told her that he needed her answer right now, not her curiosity.

"Alright," she said, holding her arms out for the girl.

SL

Leon made sure that they got into the inn safely and then he backtracked to the alleyways before the inn.

He had asked Sophie how many of them she had seen. By the low number, he could tell that they were only a scouting group. There was nothing to be alarmed about as of right now, but only if he took care of them.

His steps were quiet as he walked.

Two daggers were in his hands, but hidden in his sleeves, having pulled them from his boots.

_What I wouldn't give for my sword. _Such a weapon had been left behind and traded for cloak-able ones. Discretion and caution were vital; the sword would have drawn too much attention.

If all else failed, there was hand to hand combat.

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AN: Secret things about!


	5. Red part 1

AN: Red's the theme. Oh my, so many things come to mind...

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Having left the feast before the pig was finished, Sora asked if dinner was still available in the kitchen.

The innkeeper said he would send up some food.

In the meantime, Sophie's knees were cleaned and her dirty dress taken off. Still in her petticoat, the little girl patiently waited on the bed as Sora rummaged through their bag for a change of clothes. She blinked upon feeling something metallic, but decided against pulling it out. _She'll catch cold without some clothes. _The nights were still a little chilly.

When she pulled on a creamy sleeve, she took it out completely, having finally found a sleeping gown.

"Alright little one, lift your arms for me."

SL

The food came and dinner consisted of cold turkey, some bread with cheese, and potato soup.

Sophie ate a little, but she didn't have much of an appetite.

With nothing else for her to do for Sophie except to put her to bed, Sora grabbed the comb on the dresser and sat behind her on the bed. The comb went through her fine, wavy hair. Sora's fingers went through the locks after the comb for any tangles.

"You have soft hair," Sora murmured as she fell into a rhythm.

_Comb, run fingers through. Comb, run fingers through._

"Thank you," came Sophie's sleepy response.

The room fell into silence. Faintly, Sora could hear the chirping of the crickets outside as it grew later into the night. _I wonder how much longer Leon will be. _Surely whatever he had to do couldn't take too longer. He was a visitor to this town, after all.

"Miss Sora?"

"Yes Sophie?"

"When will Leon be back?"

"I don't know, little one. But I'm sure he will be back soon." She put the comb down and started to divide Sophie's hair for a braid. "I'll stay until your father returns."

For some reason, that made the girl giggle.

"Leon's not my papa!" Sora's hands withdrew from her hair as Sophie's youthful face turned to her, laughter shining in her blue eyes. "Leon's my big brother!"

Sora blinked very rapidly at the news.

"Oh."

SL

Once Sophie was tucked into bed, the girl fell fast asleep.

Sora brought the chair in the corner to sit near the bed. Now that she didn't have Sophie to take care of, her mind was abuzz with the night's happenings thus far.

She kissed Leon; he kissed her back.

Leon wasn't Sophie's father-and she kissed him before knowing that little piece of information.

Face aflamed at her forwardness, she started to berate herself for being so hasty but the newer information made her heart lighter, especially since he kissed her as well. A big smile was on her face; she softly giggled to herself with the knowledge that she didn't have to guard her feelings from him anymore.

_Stop being so hasty! _her mind shouted at her.

"Why the caution?" she questioned herself.

She hadn't heard him say any female names except for Sophie's and then the brief mention of Sophie's mother teaching her good manners. He didn't seem like the type to be stomping about with his little sister when he had a fiancee or wife back at home.

Her giddiness ebbed. _Why are two siblings traveling alone?_

Were they meeting up with the rest of their family? Or maybe they were looking for a new home, having no other family?

The possibilities were endless.

She thought about the metallic something she found in their travel bag when she was searching for Sophie's sleeping gown. She was tempted to look at it, but her conscience was awake, telling her that it wouldn't be nice of her to do such a thing.

But she was ever so curious about him and Sophie...

SL

Leon stealthily walked back to his room.

He was frustrated that he broke one of his daggers, but there was nothing else he could do about it. Obviously the scouts' absence would soon be noticed, however, he wasn't sure where the rest of them were exactly. Seeing that the town gates went up at sunset, the scouts were not expected to return anytime soon.

They had at least one full day to leave and relocate.

Not that he knew where they'd go...

He sighed under his breath. He had thought this place was far away enough. They were getting desperate he supposed, which could mean that the battle was nearing its end. He knew his sister would be glad to be home once more.

SL

The oil lamp gleamed on the the medallion in her hands.

She rapidly blinked at the coat of arms with the lion emblem. The symbol was familiar to her, but she could not put a finger to where exactly. "The lion..."

Her eyes widened in recollection.

Her uncle had mentioned something about the political turmoil in the neighboring kingdom of the House of the Lion. Sophie's polite manners and the way she held her head up like a proper adult instead of a child and then this medallion in their bag. They were the markings of a higher class.

If Sophie was a royal and they were related, then that means...

In the middle of her thinking the door rattled.

She gasped, the sound startling her. Leon had told her to lock the door since he had the spare key and she had the original key. Before she could think to put the medallion away, the door unlocked and Leon's disheveled form greeted her eyes. His short hair was loose and hung along his shoulders. A cut on his cheek had stopped bleeding, but there was still some dried blood from when the wound was first made.

Despite his scruffed up form, she couldn't move on beyond the implications of the medallion.

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AN: 'Red' will be a two parter.


	6. Red part 2

AN: Red part two.

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There was a terrible pit in her stomach.

Leon had thankfully closed the door but he turned back to her in time for her to see his eyes widen slightly upon seeing the medallion in her hand.

"How did you-" he trailed off, not quite sure if she knew what it was. Her face seemed rather pale, so she might know what it is.

"I, Sophie was tired, so I found her sleeping gown..."

Her eyes watered. She would have preferred that he had been married. At least with that, she wouldn't have allowed herself to rejoice in the fact that he was Sophie's brother and not her father. She wouldn't have given another thought about their kiss and what they could be.

He had only been hers for a scant two hours.

She turned her face away when she felt her lips tremble. The action brought him forward, laying his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened and immediately shrugged his hand off.

"Don't touch me," her voice quivered.

He frowned at her words. After going through a tiring three to one fight and his mind furiously configuring the next step for him and Sophie, he was not in the best of moods. He had expected to come back to Sora's smiling face and even maybe her fretting over his scruff upped state-if he was honest with himself, he was hoping for her to patch him up- but he was now being given the cold shoulder.

For months they've been on the run, going from place to place. He had given up much in volunteering to take his sister and then he came here, started relaxing and enjoying his time with Sora-the first time he had some fun in a long time-and now she was ignoring him.

"Why the hesitance," he started out loud, but then lowered his voice when Sophie rolled over on the bed, "you were more welcoming when we were strangers."

She stiffly placed the medallion down on the table.

She made her way to the door, but he strode over and placed his hand above her on the door. She let out a sound of frustration when his hand effectively kept the door from opening. She looked up at him from over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at him as anger replaced her sorrow.

"Remove your hand."

His frown deepened. He was certain that she did recognize the medal, but it didn't quite explain her behavior. "Why the change of heart?" he bit out. "Why such cold civility to one you've known as a friend?"

She wanted to bitterly laugh at that. That was her issue right there; she had been forcing herself to see him as a friend since the very beginning. Judging by how relieved she had felt when Sophie said he was her brother, she had been deluding herself the whole time they spent together.

"I never saw you as a friend," she tersely responded.

He went from anger, upset, to shock as she fully turned around to him and firmly laid her lips on his.

She hadn't planned this second kiss, but she had seen the forlorn emotion flash across his eyes when she said they had not been friends and she just reacted. Subconsciously, she wanted him to know just exactly what he meant to her and she knew, especially by how hard she was kissing him right now, that words were not enough to convey the intensity inside her.

She had started to withdraw when his mouth heatedly covered hers, his body flush against hers as she backed into the door. She was trapped, lip locked with him like she hadn't been about to leave and he hadn't just been hurt by her words. His shoulder length hair was entangled in her fingers as she writhed against him, pulling him closer and closer until there wasn't a single area in which they weren't touching.

She whimpered in his mouth, letting his tongue in and exploring wherever he wanted, which seemed to be every area possible. She hadn't realized just how badly she wanted him to kiss her and how willing she was to let him be in control.

Her logical mind screamed 'He's royalty!' Nothing could come from this encounter.

Her irrational side wanted the memory of this before she completely let go of him.

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	7. Yellow

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Their kiss was moist hot, he could not seem to stop.

She lowly moaned in his mouth; he soaked up the sound.

So entranced in kissing her for all that she was worth he had not seen the thick tears that slid from her eyes until he tasted their saltiness when they finally rolled down to her lips. Her earlier moan changed from pleasure to dejected. He quickly broke it off when the tears came out faster.

"Why did I have to help you?" she half sobbed. She buried her face in his shoulder to muffle the sound, not wanting to wake up Sophie. "Why do you have to be a royal?"

Potential suitors and relationships seemed to come and go so fast for her, she was a little agitated in her crying. _First Ken and then Yuri. _Both men had started with her but then they slowly showed more interest in her friends. She had noticed it both times which is why she broke off with them. If they were not truly invested in her, she saw no reason to continue with the courtships. She didn't believe that love had to be fought for in that way.

_Why beg for scraps when you can have full love?_

She had hoped, and even imagined that maybe Leon could be the one for her. Within that short time that she had known that he was not married, her heart had dreamed of impossible things.

_Foolish, foolish heart!_

Her knees gave out; he grabbed her and descended to the floor with her.

She felt his hand go under her chin and tilt it back.

"Sora," he warmly murmured, the sound soothing despite the heartache she was feeling. "Dear, sweet Sora. You do not need to shed tears for this." His thumb brushed her cheek, wiping the drop that slipped out. "Sophie is the royal, not I."

She tensed with the words. "Do not jest, Leon," she pleaded.

He sighed. He did not blame her for the doubt. It was a strange situation indeed, though common enough that it was not so peculiar. "We share the same father, however, my mother was not the queen. I am an illegitimate child and not recognized by the throne as an heir, therefore I hold no claims to royalty."

Her tears slowed with his words. She was interested in learning more, but the cut on his face made her pause. _I probably should have thought to clean it sooner._ The earlier shock had made her blind to other things.

"You can tell me while I clean this," she murmured, "if you want to."

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They were seated on the floor as she cleaned his face.

"When I was older the king had requested to see me."

She dipped the cloth into the bowl of water and then wrung it to get the dirt out of the cloth. "To see you?" Did his father regret not recognizing him?

Leon thinly smiled. "He wanted a guard that would not sway to the political opposition." Upon catching her confused tilt of the head, he wiry added, "I was not living in stable conditions." Back then, he made a living by taking on challengers. He had been fighting as an entertainer day in and out; looking back on it, he was ashamed of it, but he couldn't deny that he had learned the necessary skills during that time. "The King knew I would be desperate for a change in environment, thus I would be indebted to him."

He turned his head to the bed, spotting Sophie's young face.

His eyes softened. He could have left at anytime; he didn't have to go this far in protecting her, but he had felt connected to her that first time the king brought her out. He had been ready to tell the man off, but upon seeing Sophie's innocent smile, he instantly felt protective of her.

The half siblings formed a stronger bond than he had been expecting.

He had a feeling that the king noticed it as well, but as long as Leon stuck to his duties and did not raise any fuss over having an inheritance, there was no immediate issue.

She lifted his hand onto her lap and gingerly dabbed around the broken skin along his knuckles.

"...When a coup came, the King went one way and I took Sophie in the opposite direction."

She had been wrapping his hand when she stopped. "They would seek to harm her?"

"She's his heir," was all he said.

It was why he gave those men the title of 'wolves.' She was not yet seven but they hunted for her as if she were a dangerous threat. He did not feel remorse for doing away with the filthy scouts.

He felt her continue to wrap his hand.

They stayed in silence for a while until she decided to lighten the atmosphere.

"I did not think you were Sophie's brother."

He stared at her slender fingers as they tied off the bandage. It would explain why she would suddenly distance herself when they ended up walking too close to one another. With a half smirk he recalled their first kiss in the evening.

"I was not aware you have no qualms over kissing married men."

He was rewarded with the sight of her rosy cheeks.

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They had settled down on his traveling mat on the floor.

Before he could suggest sleeping with Sophie, Sora was already laying down with him. He took a look at her prone figure and her hair splayed on the mat and he could not find the will to voice his suggestion.

His arms opened and she came into them, her lips brushing his jaw.

His eyes half closed. He could get used to this.

She stopped and looked him in the eyes. "You don't have some secret engagement do you?"

He chuckled. "Not yet."

Before she could add to that, he brought her face to his and merged their lips once more. Her head rested along his shoulder as he angled his mouth, bringing out a light mewl from her.

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The first rays of the sun filtered into the inn room.

He watched as the soft yellow allowed him to see her features more clearly.

"Where will you go?"

He shrugged. "We will have to travel a little ways off."

She shifted besides him, his arm around her adjusted with her, not wanting to stop touching her just yet. "You can live with me for a while. My village is a little less than half a day's walk from here."

He played with the idea for a few moments. He could imagine them walking down some earthen path to the local farmer's market, Sophie giddy in her quiet way and Sora's arm tucked under his. The image was tantalizing, but there was a problem with it...

"We would need to go further than that." He was not certain when the turmoil will end. If he stayed in one place for too long-something he would undoubtedly do if he went with her-the opposition would eventually find them again. He would not want to risk endangering her home.

Her lashes lowered. She had hoped to have more time with him and Sophie...

"Then, you can travel with my friends," she cleared her throat, "Their eldest son travels often, so you might be able to go with him."

"Your gypsy friends?"

"Performing troupe," she corrected with a smile. "He was the fairy for the puppet show we saw a while back."

Despite their impending departure, he let out a faint smile. "Sophie would be happy to travel with them."

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	8. Green

AN: Last chapter!

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Two weeks passed since she saw them.

Sora paused in washing her clothes in the wooden laundry tub out in the back of her modest home. She often thought about how he could have been around here and what sort of reaction Sophie would have to the dance lessons Sora offered in the early evenings.

_"Will I see you two again?" she had asked him as she walked them to the gate._

_Sophie was still a little sleepy from having to wake up so earlier. She rested in Leon's arms as the adults talked. _

_He sighed, not knowing how the battle at the castle was going. "I'm not certain when the fighting will stop." He saw Sora's eyes dim a little; he wouldn't have that. "But when it does, I will come find you."_

The answer was pretty open. The turmoil could go on to last for years, decades even.

Her fingers hovered over her lips. She could still feel the soft kiss he had given her before they parted. Her heart fluttered in her chest; she knew she would look forward to seeing him even after many years.

She plunged her clothes back under the water.

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Three months passed.

It was now winter and she was boarded up inside her home. She huddled under a blanket with a small fire. She heard many things regarding the House of the Lion. Some said that the King was back. Others claimed that every single member of that house was dead, even the hunting dogs.

She rubbed her hands together. _No one can agree on what the news is._

It aggravated her as well as made her lungs feel like someone was permanently trying to strangle her. She shivered and pulled the blanket over her tighter.

_I hope they're alright._

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Five months.

Spring was here in the village, it was evident in the lush greenery around them and the abundant food for barter. The once avid news about the House of the Lion was quickly pushed aside for courtship gossip. She felt like there were couples left and right and yet she remained solo.

"Maybe a forest fairy will come for you," an elder woman cackled when Sora passed her by.

She withheld the urge to wrinkle her nose. She thought it was strange that the woman teased her often about her lack of a partner. It was no secret that the woman's her husband left her for a younger woman in the neighboring village. Sora thought about bringing that up, but she couldn't find it in herself to be so cruel.

_Fight fire with water._ With that in mind, Sora smiled and gave the woman one of her wildflowers from her basket.

The older woman frowned in confusion.

Sora walked off, silently laughing at the "daft girl" comment the woman said to herself.

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The evening was cool and refreshing.

Sora sighed as she sat on her porch watching the sky change to an indigo blue. She cracked some walnuts with the light of her oil lamp next to her. It was too nice of an evening to be indoors. She put the broken shell in one bowl and the actual edible part in another.

The shuffle of feet had her pause in grabbing another walnut.

She looked to her right from where the sound came and her throat tightened. Even with the darkening sky, she could recognize his light hair and tall frame.

He came back, just like he said he would.

She jumped to her feet and launched herself into him. She cried a little in relief, having not heard anything for a while now. His hands soothingly ran along her back and then stilled when she lifted her head and proceeded to kiss all over his face.

His hand kept her still long enough for him to deeply kiss her.

She went limp against him, reveling in his affection. His arm went around her waist to keep her up.

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Another two months passed.

They were clinging onto each other on the bed. Her low moans punctuated the night as his heavy breathing sounded in their room.

Her petite hands gripped his back and the simple band on her finger glinted in the moonlight.

They had a short courtship, seeing as neither one could stand the thought of a long one after being apart for so long. They were married just a week and a half ago, but the situation felt surreal to her sometimes. Seeing as he was still the guard for Sophie, they had found a town that was on the border of her kingdom and his to live in, making it still possible for her to visit her only family and for him to go to Sophie.

In the future, they might move closer to the castle, but where they were was a good starting point.

She suddenly arched her back, releasing a loud moan which was quickly swallowed within his kiss.

Her husband was a peculiar man with a twisted sense of humor. He knew that they had to be fairly quiet or else risk waking up Sophie in the spare bedroom down the hall. Once in a while, the little girl visited them for a few days; Sora was delighted to have her here, but she wished her husband would actually _consider _what he was doing with his sister around...

Sora's nails dug into his back as he continued.

He swallowed her moans; she was going to have a word with him about his behavior.

Afterwards, of course. Much much later in the night, if his current passion was anything to go off of. Her eyes tightly closed as the emotions built up inside her.

...Possibly in the later morning.

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Another five months later.

Sophie was silent as she pressed her ear to Sora's stomach. Her childish eyes widened and then she giggled. "I hear rumblings!"

Sora petted her hair. "She's moving around right now."

Sophie had declared the coming child to be a girl, claiming that if she said it early enough maybe it will be so. Sora thought it was funny that the girl confused her belly for a wishing well. _Or maybe she just sees the situation as enchanting as the well_.

Whatever the reason, it made Sora laugh.

"It could be a boy," Leon amusedly commented upon entering the sitting room. Sophie's small hands laid over his wife's protruding belly.

"No," Sophie confidently stated. "It's a girl. I can feel it."

Husband and wife shared a look.

"And what is it you feel?"

The little girl softly huffed. "Not _feel feel._ Just, I can tell. Trust me."

Leon shook his head. Sora giggled and brought the young girl's head up to place a kiss on her forehead.

They'll see if child intuition was correct in another few months.

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The End.

AN: Lots of beginnings for them! Green and spring came to mind for this chapter, if you couldn't tell. :P

Thanks for reading! It was a challenge for me to keep it short! XD


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